ADHD Symptoms in Adult Women
Women who aren't diagnosed with ADHD might have difficulties at work or in relationships. It's important to identify the signs and find a treatment that is effective for you.
Symptoms of ADHD in adults are more likely to be the inattentive type than hyperactivity/impulsive. A correct diagnosis can to improve your life by addressing your symptoms and paying attention to what is important.
1. Trouble paying attention
Women may have difficulty paying attention to details, recollecting appointments and deadlines, or underestimating how long it takes to complete a task. They might also find it difficult to keep track of their obligations in their relationships or at work, get easily distracted, and fail follow through with promises. They may also have issues with impulsivity, trouble managing their emotions and an inclination to talk about things without thinking about them first.
It is important to be aware of and treat symptoms of ADHD in women of adulthood. The inability to focus can lead to difficulties with friendships and relationships. Women might find it harder to make new acquaintances, or they may struggle in their current relationships due to frequent fights and missed opportunities for fun and being neglected. They may also find it difficult managing the demands of work, home and childcare.
It can be a challenge for health care providers and therapists alike to recognize ADHD in many people. But that doesn't mean that it's not true or that the person doesn't need to do more to remain on track. Diagnoses are based on symptoms and the way they affect daily functioning in multiple areas.
Women are more likely to experience inattentional symptoms than hyperactive or impulsive ones which is why they go undiagnosed. Many women suffering from ADHD are also embarrassed of their symptoms because they don't fit stereotypes of ADHD. This can make it more difficult for those with ADHD to seek help or seek treatment.
In some instances, women with ADHD remain undiagnosed for a long period of time because they are trying to cope and conceal their symptoms. They are also more likely to suffer from other comorbidities, including anxiety or depression that can mask the symptoms of ADHD. They are also more likely to suffer from hormonal fluctuations that may cause symptoms to flare up or disappear, like during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and perimenopause.
2. Organizational Issues
Forgetfulness, disorganization, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation are all common ADHD symptoms for women. These signs can cause them to be incapable of completing everyday tasks, fulfill their obligations or maintain relationships. They may also have a low self-esteem and suffer from anxiety. Women who have not been diagnosed with ADHD might feel they're not achieving society's expectations. They may also experience anxiety and low self-esteem.
In addition to forgetfulness and disorganization, ADHD in adult women can be manifested as hyperfocus or procrastination. These problems can lead to women missing appointments, not paying their bills on time and feeling overwhelmed. Hyperfocus can cause a lack of attention to other important activities and a lack of sense of time, which could make it difficult to switch from one activity to another. ADHD symptoms in adult women can also cause anxiety, stress and a constant feeling of being lagging behind.
Communication issues, both verbal and nonverbal, are another common symptom of ADHD. This could include talking too much, interrupting others, or saying inappropriate things. It can also include the inability to wait for her turn or difficulty recognizing the boundaries of social interaction. It is important to remember that these behaviors don't necessarily indicate a lack in the ability or intelligence.
Many women suffering from ADHD develop strategies to hide their symptoms. This can have positive and negative effects. Some of these coping strategies could be healthy, such as having a daily schedule or setting reminders for events. Some aren't for example, using alcohol or drugs to hide symptoms or ignoring them altogether. It is crucial that women who suspect they may have ADHD seek help from a professional.
Women suffering from ADHD can benefit from medication, lifestyle changes, therapy, and a range of other treatment options. Some of these include cognitive behavior therapy to address the root of negative beliefs and thoughts mindfulness techniques and relaxation, exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep. A health care provider can also recommend accommodations that will make work or school more manageable.
3. Disruptive Behaviors
Women suffering from ADHD might experience emotional dysregulation. They can become frustrated and depressed when life's difficulties aren't easily solved. This makes it difficult to maintain relationships with romantic partners, friends, and co-workers. For instance, forgetfulness and impulsivity can heighten frustration or confusion in relationships with loved ones and can cause feelings of loneliness, abandonment or depression. Additionally the tendency to seek an instant thrill can be misinterpreted as disinterest or indifference by other people.
This is why ADHD symptoms are frequently missed or misdiagnosed for girls and women. ADHD symptoms adults might also have difficulty understanding that their issues are caused by the disorder because of social norms and stereotypes about the behavior of women and men.
Women and girls with ADHD often conceal their symptoms to avoid embarrassment. This may result in them being referred for diagnosis less frequently than men and boys who have the same symptoms. This could be due to gender bias in the research that informs diagnostic criteria. In a recent study Hartung and Widiger discovered that girls and women are more likely to be under-identified and not diagnosed than boys and men with similar ADHD symptoms. This could be due to the fact that doctors are conditioned by their training to view hyperactive and impulsive ADHD as being more common in both men and boys. This can make them easier to detect and refer to an assessment.
In adults, ADHD symptoms can manifest as restlessness and difficulty settling. These are common ADHD symptoms however, they can also be a significant influence on an adult's life. People suffering from ADHD might feel anxious or find it difficult to remain still. This is particularly when they're feeling anxious or stressed. They tend to fidget and are overly talkative. They frequently interrupt or complete sentences of others and do not realize they're being rude.
If you suspect that you might have ADHD, you can be directed to an ophthalmologist by your physician or psychologist. You can also self-refer. This information was reviewed in October 2024 and updated in November 2022 by Madeline Dykes, clinical psychologist, and members of the Thriving Madly peer support network in Christchurch.
4. Social Skills Problems
Women with ADHD might have trouble managing their emotions or communicating effectively at work. This can cause problems in personal relationships as well as with professional goals. They may be unable to recognize and responding in a timely manner to feedback. This can lead to frustration or even disappointment. They might also have difficulty trying to keep a healthy diet and sleep habits, which could increase feelings of anxiety. Many women with ADHD utilize unhealthy strategies for coping to compensate for their problems. These include eating disorders, addiction to substances, and non-suicidal harming of oneself (NSSI), like cutting, burning or scratching.
As adults, women who suffer from ADHD may find it more difficult to seek treatment than men due to the fact that they tend to mask their symptoms. To make themselves acceptable to society and to meet the expectations of society, they often develop coping strategies. This could make it more difficult for others to recognize their ADHD symptoms. These coping mechanisms might be as simple as creating lists and setting reminders or more complicated strategies, like learning to control their emotions or developing mindfulness strategies.
These coping mechanisms could be counterproductive and worsen symptoms. They can also hinder an adequate amount of sleep, which is crucial to manage ADHD symptoms. Additionally, women who suffer from ADHD often find themselves overwhelmed by their daily demands and this can increase stress and further exacerbate their ADHD symptoms.
While it's true that a greater number of boys are diagnosed with ADHD than girls, the gap becomes smaller when they become adults. This is due to the fact that women frequently have a range of symptoms throughout the course of their lives. This can lead to different diagnoses.
The changes in hormone levels can also impact ADHD symptoms in women. For instance when they have an elevated estrogen level during pregnancy, symptoms may improve. Higher levels of estrogen regulate brain chemicals that influence the ability to focus. If they start to have low estrogen levels due to perimenopausal or age-related decline, their ADHD symptoms could become more severe.
It's now possible for adults suffering from ADHD to get a correct diagnosis and get effective treatment. This includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and neurocognitive psychotherapy, which will help people with ADHD build the necessary skills to improve their everyday functioning. They can also attend meetings of support groups for ADHD in order to share their experience with other people on the same journey and gain valuable information from their peers.